1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a piece of upper body clothing to be worn by a mother who will be engaged in breast feeding an infant.
2. Background of the Invention
In the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 907,290 to Rouff; 1,098,155 to Knapp; 1,206,480 to Stagg; 2,911,650 to Gerich; 4,280,228 to Sulzman; 4,458,365 to Wood; 4,566,136 to Echols; 4,601,068 to Frechette; and 4,660,227 to Abramson, various types of nursing garments, nursing blouses, and nursing gowns are disclosed. Each of these prior art garments have openings therein through which an infant may obtain access to the breast of the wearer for feeding. In substantially every one of these prior art garments the openings have some form of mechanical closure using, for example buttons, snaps, zippers, Velcro hook and loop material, and the like. None of the above mentioned prior art patents disclose or teach a nursing garment which may be made in various styles, patterns, and shapes, and which has a vertical pleat centered on and along the length of the front of the garment, which pleat includes and is formed by a pair of exposed exterior fold lines and a pair of hidden interior fold lines with an inwardly facing pleat face disposed between the interior fold lines, and with a normally hidden opening along a portion of each interior fold line positioned to provide an infant access to the breasts of the wearer. Furthermore, none of the above described prior art provides such a garment having a pair of movable breast cover panels connected to opposite sides of such a normally hidden inwardly facing pleat face, which cover panels are held in place by interior connections to conceal the breasts of the wearer from view through the openings during normal wearing conditions.